The Story of the "Metal" That Supports the Tone of Music Boxes | An Unexpected Connection to Mikane Shrine in Kyoto [Music Boxes and Kyoto Vol. 2]

Music boxes and musical instruments alike have achieved beautiful tones through the evolution of "metal"

The clear tone of the music box that we hear.
That beautiful resonance is not created solely by the skill of the craftsman.
It is precisely because of the metal processing technology that has advanced over many years, as well as the development of new steel materials and alloys, that the tones of today's music boxes and musical instruments are realized.

And did you know that a deity deeply involved in the history of that metal is enshrined in the heart of Kyoto?
In this installment, we will introduce the metal technology that supports the tone of music boxes and its unexpected connection to Kyoto's Mikane Shrine.

It is not just the vibration plate that creates the tone

The sound source of a music box is a metal plate processed into a comb shape called a "vibration plate." When the cylinder or disc, which can be called the music box's musical score, rotates, the protrusions pluck the teeth of the vibration plate to create sound.
However, the sound that reaches our ears is not created by the vibration plate alone.
The base that supports the vibration plate and cylinder, and the wooden case (housing) that encloses them, resonate and amplify the vibrations, transforming them into a rich and beautiful tone.

This mechanism is actually common to many musical instruments.
For example, string instruments such as violins, guitars, and pianos produce rich sounds by having the instrument body resonate with the vibrations of the strings. Woodwind instruments also produce sound by amplifying the air vibrations within the tube.
In other words, a music box is a device that plays music through "vibration" and "resonance," just like a musical instrument.

The history of musical instruments is also the history of metal materials

For string instruments, "gut strings" made from sheep intestines were originally the mainstream.
However, from the 18th century onwards, wound strings wrapped with metal wire were developed, allowing for louder and more beautiful sounds to be played.
Piano strings are similar. When the piano was first invented, iron and brass were used, but by the 19th century, this changed to steel wire containing carbon. Today, high-strength piano wire that has undergone advanced heat treatments such as quenching and tempering is used.
As a result, it has become possible to produce sounds that are far louder, more powerful, and have a richer resonance compared to pianos of the past.
In many musical instruments, including string instruments and pianos, richer tones have been realized through advances in materials and processing technology.

Music boxes have also evolved alongside metal processing technology

Music boxes have also developed alongside the evolution of metal materials.
Compared to music boxes from the 19th century, modern music boxes make extensive use of newly developed steel materials and alloys.

For example, the steel materials used for vibration plates, as well as their processing and heat treatment technologies, have been developed through repeated improvements.
In addition, materials such as zinc alloys are sometimes used for the base that supports the vibration plate, aiming to improve sound stability and resonance.
The clear tone and beautiful lingering sound we feel from a music box are not created by the skill of the craftsman alone. They are also supported by the efforts of special steel manufacturers, metal material manufacturers, and metallurgical engineers who have researched and developed new metal materials over many years.

※ Metallurgy is the technology and study of extracting metal from ore, and performing refining, alloying, and processing.

A shrine in Kyoto that enshrines the "God of Metal"

A shrine that prays for the development, safety, and prosperity of such metal processing and metallurgical technology is located in the center of Kyoto, near the Nidec Music Box Showroom.

That is the famous Kyoto shrine, "Mikane Shrine."
The deity enshrined at this shrine is "Kanayamahiko-no-Kami."
In Japanese mythology, this deity is said to have been born from Izanami-no-Mikoto.

Why did Kanayamahiko-no-Kami become the god of metal?

According to the "Kojiki," Izanagi-no-Mikoto and Izanami-no-Mikoto gave birth to many deities. However, when they finally gave birth to "Hinokagutsuchi-no-Kami," Izanami-no-Mikoto suffered severe burns and lost her life. It is said that Kanayamahiko-no-Kami was one of the deities born from the vomit she expelled in her death throes.

Because the appearance of molten minerals resembled the shape of vomit, Kanayamahiko-no-Kami came to be considered the god of mines and minerals, and eventually came to be widely worshipped as the god of blacksmithing, ironmaking, and metallurgy. In later eras, the deity also came to be revered as the god presiding over agricultural tools such as hoes and plows.

The 'Gratitude for Metal' Inherited in Music Box Making

Without metal, modern musical instruments and music boxes would not exist.
Behind the beautiful tones lies the skill of countless people who have created, processed, and polished metal.

Kyoto's Mikane Shrine is known for its blessings regarding money, but for those involved in craftsmanship, it is also a place that reminds us of our 'gratitude for metal'.
When you visit Kyoto, why not stop by Mikane Shrine while reflecting on the invisible technology that supports the sound of music boxes?

(A. Hisada)

▼ Series 'Music Boxes and Kyoto'
Vol. 1: 'Nagamori Collection Gallery,' where you can encounter antique music boxes in Kyoto
https://note.com/nidec_orgel/n/n37db9f72c21a
Vol. 3: The origin of the music box is the 'carillon' | The history of automatic performance born from church bells
https://note.com/nidec_orgel/n/n46bb6ca5ae03